Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts in Qatar
Position: Assistant Professor, Digital Fabrication Lab and Woodshop Technician
Department: Digital Fabrication Lab
Position Number: F25990
Position Location: Doha, Qatar
Position Begins: August 11, 2013
Review of Applications Begins: The review of applications is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled
VCUQatar (www.qatar.vcu.edu) is the Qatar campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1998 through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, VCUQatar offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in fashion design, graphic design, interior design and painting & printmaking; Bachelor of Arts in art history, and, a Master of Fine Arts degree in design studies. Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUQatar is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The current student body represents a diverse range of nationalities with students coming from more than 40 different countries.
VCUQatar strives to provide an engaged, learner-centered environment that fosters inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting. The university hosts the biennial international design conference Tasmeem Doha and supports the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Symposium, attracting globally recognized designers, academics and thinkers while fostering sustainable, university-community partnerships that enhance the educational, economic and cultural vitality of Qatar. The university has substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for that growth. It has established itself as a center of excellence for education and research in art and design.
VCUQatar has 131 full-time faculty and staff and a student body of 249. VCUQatar was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2500-acre campus community. Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Carnegie-Mellon University, Texas A&M University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Northwestern University, HEC Paris and UCL have since joined the university.
Qatar is a liberal, hospitable and progressive country in the Arabian Gulf and remains one of the healthiest economies in the Gulf region. English is the standard second language and the population of Qatar is approximately 1.65 million and growing – 350,000 Qatari, the remainder expatriates. Doha offers all the conveniences found in a contemporary and cosmopolitan city, and also maintains a traditional Arab flavor, evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. The Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M.Pei opened in November 2008 and the Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf) opened in 2010. The US Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.
Position Description
This 10-month faculty/technician position supports visual art and design programs at VCUQatar with responsibilities that combine teaching within the facility, which currently includes a digital fabrication lab and a woodshop; providing workshops to support the existing curricula; training and technical support on the use of equipment; maintenance and general repair of equipment; ordering supplies and equipment; coordinating use of the facility by multiple university departments and collaborators; and overseeing day-to-day operations. This position will also develop studio health plans and oversee that these rules are taught to and observed by all users of the facility.
The successful candidate will work with students and faculty from the four undergraduate art and design majors as well as the graduate program and collaborators. Appropriate courses for instruction will be identified based on program needs and the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate. It is essential that the successful candidate is confident to teach within the facility across disciplines, and can offer an educational approach that will suit students with diverse educational backgrounds.
Additional responsibilities include engagement in the development and delivery of significant research or creative activity, and providing service to the department, university, the community in Qatar, and the profession, with other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will possess comprehensive knowledge of digital design and fabrication technical processes and applications, and traditional woodshop equipment use, maintenance and safety. Applicants will have an MFA or equivalent professional experience and an academic career distinguished by an exhibition record, research, or equivalent professional accomplishments. Applicants are invited to apply with a broad range of expertise in art and design fields including those that push the boundaries of the practice, particularly those with a demonstrated commitment to professional involvement.
Applicants must be able to support a combination of hardware and software technologies including CNC milling, laser cutting, 3D printing, 3D scanning, UV printing, vinyl cutting, and vacuum forming along with industry standard CAD/CAM software, and a woodshop, with general knowledge of metal working facilities. Additional knowledge of electronics such as Arduino would be beneficial.
Knowledge of critical theory and contemporary practices is required. Experience in University-level academic instruction beyond the TA level is required. Strong collaborative and communication skills are required. Experience or potential for working in a culturally diverse work environment necessary to support the VCU emphasis on global sensibility is required. A focus on teaching methods, techniques and theories with a historic and contextual reference to the Gulf region is beneficial. Successful candidates must have demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU and VCUQatar.
Benefits
- Competitive international salary
- Tax protection for U.S. Taxpayers
- 30% Off-shore supplement to base salary
- Medical Insurance (100% employer funded premium and employer cost shared options available)
- Fully furnished villa or apartment including wireless internet
- Annual travel allowance to home of record (to include a spouse and dependents relocated to Qatar)
- Monthly transportation allowance
- Educational reimbursement for up to 4 dependent children enrolled in an accredited K-12 program
- International Professional Development and Research Opportunities
Application Process: Qualified applicants who have a record of achievement appropriate to VCUQatar should submit a letter of interest with a curriculum vita, twenty (20) samples of personal work, twenty (20) samples of student work and the names of five references including email and telephone contact information to Tomaree Porter (tlporter@vcu.edu), Human Resources Administrator, Qatar Support Office. Only electronic submissions will be accepted.
For more information on VCUQatar and this unique international opportunity, please visit www.vcu.edu/arts/employment/qatar
Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
